


The Gospel of Hemwick

by Skyeec2



Series: The World of a Crow [18]
Category: Bloodborne (Video Game), Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: AU, Angst, M/M, Uncomfortable Conversations, bloodborne au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-13 22:24:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9144916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyeec2/pseuds/Skyeec2
Summary: Zack asks some questions that Cloud has trouble answering.





	

**Author's Note:**

> My baby's almost finished! So many conflicting emotions!  
> As always edited by @corrupted-spirit

Cloud hadn’t expected to be accosted by Angeal’s apprentice upon leaving the hunter’s workshop. He had just returned to Yharnam after being gone for nearly a week on an extensive mission hunting a wayward Choir member.

It hadn’t been the easiest mission as the members of the Choir were well known to be difficult opponents in casual circumstances. In a fight for their life they became deadly.

He would probably carry a scar from this mission the rest of his days.

Zack caught him after he exited the Vicar’s office, walking down the ornate staircase to the streets of Yharnam. The boy had called out to him, almost sprinting towards him.

Cloud was not ashamed to admit that he almost dug his blade into the boy.

Zack stopped before he intruded on Cloud’s personal space. Good, he had probably talked to one of his elders before he tried to approach him.

“Hey Cloud!” He greeted brightly, big smile attempting to light the streets around them. Cloud slowed so the boy could walk with him, nodding a greeting back to him. Seemed he wouldn’t be getting back to his room soon.

They strolled through the streets of Yharnam sedately towards Cloud’s home, Zack had gone quiet. Most likely the boy was trying to gather his courage to speak.

Cloud allowed the apprentice the time he needed, the boy hailed from Hemwick if he remembered correctly. The people down there had a vast number of superstitions passed down through generations, he had no idea what the believes were there.

“Um, I-I w-was wondering if I could,” the boy stuttered trying to force the question out of his mouth before he lost his nerve. “C-could as-ask you…” the boy swallowed loudly, rushing his question out of his mouth quickly, “ask you some things?”

Cloud halted his movements turning towards the apprentice, the boy had folded into himself slightly, hunching down so that he seemed smaller than he actually was.  He had his head ducked so that he could avoid his eyes.

Cloud thought the request over before lifting one of his shoulders in an unseen shrug. “I don’t see why not,” he replies easily, voice calm and neutral.

Zack’s head shot up, his eyes staring at him in surprise. “Really?!” The single word held several emotions within it, ranging from surprised bewilderment and childish excitement. The boy was practically vibrating in excitement.

Cloud nodded once again, watching the apprentice pump his fist into the air, exclaiming in joy. He smiled softly, hidden behind his beak mask, turning to direct them towards a different location.

He started heading towards the central workshop, they could talk in the garden there. It offered a small bit of privacy while allowing the apprentice the safety of an open area.

They found a quiet place to sit, Cloud settled onto the stone chair with a quiet, tired sigh unheard by the young apprentice. He shifted his shoulders minutely, feeling the tense muscles protest the movement.

Zack was bouncing his leg nervously, the limb moving swiftly as the boy thought through his first question. He had his hand to his chin, humming softly to himself.

Cloud waited patiently for the younger to start, enjoying the peace of their surroundings.

“Can Crows turn invisible?” Zack questioned suddenly, words rushed so he couldn’t stop half-way through.

Cloud stared at the apprentice, dumbfounded. He couldn’t have heard that right, could he?

“Invisible?” He asked bemusedly, that was an interesting one. He shook his head, speaking before Zack could begin to expand on his question. “No, we can’t.” Well, there was that elixir synthesised by the Church, but that wasn’t important. “We simply know how to go about unnoticed.”

Zack nodded, his features showing his shock that Cloud had answered. He was quick to spit out his next questioned, “Can you fly?”

A surprised laugh nearly made its way from Cloud’s throat before he stopped it. The smile remained under his mask though and he was sure it tinged his reply. “No, we can’t. Though I know some who wish otherwise.”

Zack seemed surprised at his tone of voice, staring at him as his own smile grew.

Silence lapsed as the boy contemplated his next question.

“Hmm,” the thoughtful hum cut through the silence once more. “Can Crows change what they look like? You know, with magic?”

Cloud paused at the question, it was half-true. “We can change our appearance, yes. But it’s more through practice and patience than actual magic.” That was all he needed to know about that subject, he didn’t need knowledge of _her_.

She had travelled across the oceans years ago, though and hadn’t returned since.

Zack nodded thoughtfully, the next question falling from his mouth accompanying an odd look at his mask-covered face. “Those aren’t made from actual bird skulls, are they?”

Cloud shrugged, that was a tricky question. “Mine is not, though some of the longest lines are. Usually they're made from wood but some came from giant creatures.” The oldest masks were often considered the most hideous as the bone settled over features, making any look dangerous and otherworldly. 

Those species were long extinct though and many of the old masks were being kept safely as artefacts within special safe rooms. Old magic was thought to be held within the bones; presences that would poison the mind and senses.

Zack seemed shocked at the answer. He blinked at the surrounding flowers for a few minutes.

Cloud was forced to prompt the younger again when several minutes had passed, “Anything else you want to ask?”

“Well,” Zack’s voice trailed off weakly, obviously uncomfortable with what he was thinking.

His face twisted in discomfort as he started the speak once again, “Back home everyone said that a seeing Crow meant that you or someone close you was going to die soon.” He kept his head turned away from Cloud as he spoke, from hunching in on himself.

Cloud froze. He didn’t have a way to respond to that. Many people believed that seeing or interacting with a Crow lead to ill-will and they were always wrong. Usually it was only unfortunate coincidences, but there were times when it had been deliberate.

He was saved from trying to come up with a response by Genesis and Angeal. The two strode their way through the garden, right towards where they were sitting, they had most likely been watching from a distance as they spoke.

No matter the reason, he was grateful to them for interfering when he needed them to. Genesis continued forward until he could sit next to Cloud on the bench, placing his chin on Cloud’s shoulder, peering at the two of them.

Angeal remained standing next to them, looking down at his apprentice with undisguised concern.

“Well,” Genesis’ voice started, drawing all attention to himself instead of the gloomy turn the conversation had taken. “I should take Cloud home, he’s probably tired. Hope you got what you were after puppy, we’re off.”

He stood gracefully, pulling Cloud along as he went. He raised his hand in farewell as they walked away, his other hand gripping Cloud’s arm tightly.

He turned to Cloud when they were far enough away from the others, looking at him with blatant concern and worry, “Are you ok?”

Cloud nodded, reaching up to remove his mask from his face, meeting Genesis’ eyes with his own. “It could’ve been much worse,” he replied tiredly, continuing to walk towards his home. All he wanted now was to fall into his comfortable bed and sleep for the next week.

Genesis fixed him with a dubious expression, not believing him but not willing to press the issue. He pressed closer to Cloud’s frame as they made their way through the streets of Yharnam.

Cloud enjoyed the other’s comfortable warmth pressing into his side. He tried to force the conversation from his mind, ignoring the implications of what he had been asked and what that meant about the people of Hemwick.

He shouldn’t worry himself with things like that, the believes of civilians were not his problem.


End file.
